Knife Attacks
First off I want to make it clear right now that I do not claim to be an expert in knife skills, even though I have been training in various places since 2001 and with many different instructors on knife defense I still do not consider myself an expert. I did know an expert. When he would talk about the way you held or used the knife and more importantly why, he wasn’t speaking from something he read in a text book, it was from real world experience. He was humble and haunting at the same time because he spoke with candor about what the expected outcome was from a knife attack.
Having said that I feel I do have a perspective which allows me to bring awareness to readers. I know some who carry a knife because they think when the SHTF they’ll be able to fight their way out or when confronted with a knife they’ll be able to pull theirs and defend themselves. The police have a safe distance rule when dealing with someone with a knife. It’s 21 feet. Seems like a great distance, well it’s not. Inside of 21 feet a motivated individual can pull their knife and slash your throat before an officer has time to draw their weapon. This has been proven time and time again and there are plenty of videos on YouTube demonstrating it.
I’ve posted a video about knife attack myths and the most important thing to know is that a knife fight is seldom a fight like in Rebel Without a Cause or Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, most likely it will be an ambush.
In the following video it will show examples of the following myths:
-I’ll pull my gun: As stated if someone is inside 21 feet there’s a distinct possibility you won’t have the reaction time to pull a gun in time to defend yourself, let alone if you are concealed carry.
-Knife attacks aren’t attacks, they’re ambushes: This is the most difficult topic to discuss. The lock on your front door won’t keep an intruder out they know what the weaknesses are of a door lock and know how to defeat them, it merely stops good people from coming into your house. If someone is motivated they will figure out a way to attack you. It’s that simple, keep aware at all times.
-I’ll run away: I always jest that the first stab wind you should get is in your ass from running away but it’s seriously a joke. Confront the attacker and fight with any means necessary especially if you are defending someone who can not fight for them selves.
– Only idiots attack with icepick grip: I always discourage people from thinking about using the icepick grip because I speak from the perspective of defense against a knife attack and point up gives you the greatest range away from your attacker. The truth is people who want to attack you will use the icepick grip because it is concealable. Remember using a knife takes no skill, no training and little effort to be extremely effective and lethal.
-Only idiots grab you when they attack: Watch any prison footage from security cameras and you will see how personal a knife attack can be.
-You can’t catch a stab: We were always taught never to grab the arm of an attacker because it allows the attacker to access the arteries in your arm easily but the truth is you should never give up during an attack. It’s been documented that people who have survived knife attacks keep fighting even after being staged over 20 times. People who give up after the first or second stab often die. Never give up and use any means necessary. “Anything will work if you can pull it off.” -Spezzano
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This was so freaking disturbing and yet so helpful. Now I feel I need to practice how to fight off a knife attack. Thank you.